Festival films contemplate rapidly changing nature of Taiwan’s culture, society
"The legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan had Paul Malcolm, a programmer in the UCLA Film & Television Archive, scouring festivals to find films that represent the diversifying culture and society.Working together with Brian Hu, an assistant professor at the San Diego State University School of Theatre, Television, and Film, Malcolm curated the upcoming lineup for the Taiwan Biennial Film Festival 2019 at the Billy Wilder Theater. The festival runs from Friday to Oct. 28 and spotlights the changing landscape of Taiwan as people flood the cities, causing rapid urbanization, Malcolm said. The chosen films touch on the social and cultural aspects of Taiwan that are evolving alongside politics and a new generation of youth, he said.
“We were looking for films that have something to say and have a very interesting way of saying it,” Malcolm said. “I think we found that especially in ‘Missing Johnny’ and ‘Heavy Craving.’”
“Missing Johnny” specifically explores how people build friendships in an urbanizing society, which tends to heighten alienation and isolation, Malcolm said. Huang Xi, the writer-director of the short, said he wanted to fixate on how it feels to be alone in a large space, and the main characters struggle to build relationships while surrounded by a city filled to the brim with bodies."— Paige Hua, Oct. 17, 2019
This post is an excerpt. Read the full article on the Daily Bruin website.
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